ISLAMABAD: The joint investigation team and its report are irrelevant in the case of Avenfield properties, said former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s daughter Maryam Nawaz while recording her statement in the accountability court on Thursday.
During the hearing, Maryam told the court that report prepared by the JIT is an investigative document, which was unacceptable as evidence. Maryam said the Supreme Court ordered references be filed in light of the evidence presented by the JIT, but did not ask the JIT report to be made part of any reference as an evidence.
Maryam was of the view that the references filed over the JIT report cannot be presented as evidence.
While raising concerns over the members of JIT, Maryam said the appointment of Irfan Mangi as director general of Natonal Accountability Bureau was still under hearing at Supreme Court but he was made part of the investigation team regardless.
About the inclusion of Amer Aziz from State Bank of Pakistan in JIT, Maryam said he was close to the military dictator, General (retd) Pervez Musharraf. She added that Musharraf got Aziz appointed in NAB as the banking director in 2000.
Maryam also expressed reservation over the inclusion of Brigadier Noman Saeed, saying he was not working in Inter-Services Intelligence at the time of his appointment in JIT. The brigadier was outsourced as his salary was also not being shown on government records, she added.
Besides, Maryam said, according to her information Brigadier Saeed was also part of the Dawn Leaks enquiry committee.
However, she was of the view that ISI and Military Intelligence officials should not have been made party of the JIT. Maryam is recording her statement in the Avenfield reference, pertaining to the Sharif family’s London properties. It is among three filed against the Sharif family by NAB last year on the Supreme Court’s directives.
The members of Sharif family, including Nawaz Sharif, Maryam, and Captain (retd) Safdar, are appearing before the court of Accountability Judge Muhammad Bashir.
Nawaz has already recorded his statement in the case. During the last three days, He denied any involvement in the Avenfield properties, any business dealings with the Qatari family, Dubai Steel Mills and Capital FZE. INP